Meeting documents

To consider the attached report.

Contact Officer:  Kate Mulhearn (01296) 585724

The Audit Committee had a role to monitor the effectiveness of risk management and internal control across the Council.  As part of discharging this role the Committee was asked to review the Corporate Risk Register (CRR).  The CRR provided evidence of a risk aware and risk managed organisation and reflected the risks that were on the current radar for Strategic Board.  Some of the risks were not dissimilar to those faced across other local authorities. 

The CRR had been fully updated in January 2019 to reflect the impact of the Secretary of State’s decision to implement a single unitary authority for Buckinghamshire.  The CRR had last been reviewed by the Audit Committee on 15 July 2019 and by Cabinet on 4 November.  The following table showing the changing risk profile over time was submitted:-

The background and comments against each risk was included in the report, as well as a summary in relation to residual risk ratings.  The following risks had changed since July 2019:-

·                    Fail to achieve the MTFP (Risk No 1) – had increased from Low to Moderate as increasing risks had been identified to balance the budget for the 2019-20 financial year.

·                    Loss of AVDC Senior Management leadership and vision as the unitary programme progressed (Risk No. 2) – the risk had been removed and the risk, consequences and actions had been captured in Risk No. 3.

·                    Staff morale, mental physical wellbeing deteriorates, increased demand on HR resource to support staff (Risk No. 4) – had increased from High to Extreme as unitary work demands increased, Tier 3 recruitment was in progress, TUPE consultation had commenced, all of which was being felt by staff at all levels.

·                    Connected Knowledge Programme (Risk No. 6) – the risk had been closed as the CK Strategy and Programme as originally envisaged would not be achieved.  Programme close-down was in progress and the final position in respect to achievements, savings identified, savings forgone (by AVDC), and opportunities for the new Council to consider in the future would be reported in due course.

·                    In-housing of the Street and Horticulture Service (Risk No. 7) – had reduced from High to Moderate as the project was progressing well with respect to contractual / TUPE implications.

·                    Depot Transformation Programme (Risk No. 8) – had reduced from High to Moderate, AVDC had been the first local authority to successfully achieve Competent Management System (CMS) in September 2019.  This had removed the reliance on key individuals to ensure compliance with the Environment Agency licence requirements.

·                    Impact of BREXIT (Risk no. 15) – had reduced from High to Moderate, although the risk would continue to be monitored.

Members sought additional information and were informed:-

(i)            On well being and other work that was being done to assist staff during the transition period to the new unitary council.

(ii)           Risk 14 – an update was provided on one property with Aylesbury Vale that needed additional work to ensure that it met the safety standards that had been highlighted following the Grenfell fire.

(iii)          that a Press Release would be issued in relation to the Council achieving Competent Management System at the Depot.

RESOLVED –

That the current position of the Corporate Risk Register be noted.